Just finishing reading the Tammy Wynette biography by Jimmy McDonough. The woman had a tremendously successful career, paired up with a very tragic life. While I found myself feeling sad for her, in that she obviously suffered a lot through the years, the thing that really hit me was her dedication to the song. She obviously had an extraordinary voice, that's plain to see. But her taste in country music was also pretty spot on. She could take these now-classic songs and make them live and breathe.

Every time I get sort of down on how modern country music has become throwaway and cookie-cutter, the product of focus groups and songwriting committees, I just have to listen to someone like her. She lived the songs, and made them her own. The woman, despite being a scattered and broken soul, is an inspiration. Or maybe that's why she is such an inspiration. She could sing through it all. Thanks Tammy!